第20部分(第1/7 頁)

Now　they　were　going　downhill；　twisting　and　curving　unceasingly。　Presently　the　car　slackened　speed；　and　finally　came　to　a　standstill　before　a　Bureau　de　Poste。　The　te　jumped　out；　lifted　the　lid　of　the　tool　chest；　extracted　the　small　brown　paper　parcel　and　hurried　into　the　post　office。　Two　minutes　later　he　was　driving　once　more　in　the　direction　of　Mentone。　When　the　grey　car　arrived　there；　the　te　was　drinking　English　five　o'clock　tea　on　the　terrace　of　one　of　the　hotels。

Later；　he　drove　back　to　Monte　Carlo；　dined　there；　and　reached　home　once　more　at　eleven　o'clock。　Hippolyte　came　out　to　meet　him　with　a　disturbed　face。

〃Ah！　Monsieur　le　te　has　arrived。　Monsieur　le　te　did　not　telephone　me；　by　any　chance？〃

The　te　shook　his　head。

〃And　yet　at　three　o'clock　I　received　a　summons　from　Monsieur　le　te；　to　present　myself　to　him　at　Nice；　at　the　Negresco。〃

〃Really；〃　said　the　te；　〃and　you　went？〃

〃Certainly；　Monsieur；　but　at　the　Negresco　they　knew　nothing　of　Monsieur　le　te　…　he　had　not　been　there。〃

〃Ah〃　said　the　te；　〃doubtless　at　that　hour　Marie　was　out　doing　her　afternoon　marketing？〃

〃That　is　so；　Monsieur　le　te。〃

〃Ah；　well；〃　said　the　te；　〃it　is　of　no　importance。　A　mistake。〃

He　went　upstairs；　smiling　to　himself。

Once　within　his　own　room；　he　bolted　his　door　and　looked　sharply　round。　Everything　seemed　as　usual。　He　opened　various　drawers　and　cupboards。　Then　he　nodded　to　himself。

Things　had　been　replaced　almost　exactly　as　he　had　left　them；　but　not　quite。　It　was　evident　that　a　very　thorough　search　had　been　made。

He　went　over　to　the　bureau　and　pressed　the　hidden　spring。　The　drawer　flew　open；　but　the　hair　was　no　longer　where　he　had　placed　it。　He　nodded　his　head　several　times。

〃They　are　excellent；